Governor asks for federal disaster aid

Today Governor Sonny Perdue asked President Bush for a major disaster declaration to assist residents and local governments in Bibb, Carroll, Crawford, Douglas, Emanuel, Glynn, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, McIntosh, Truetlen, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties with
emergency response measures and aid for losses resulting from the severe weather and tornadoes on Mothers day.

Several injuries were reported and three people were killed.

State to build eight more boat mega-ramps

Eight more mega-boat ramps are set to be built around the state as part of the Go Fish Georgia program. The communities have agreed to match the state’s portion of construction costs. Locations include Buckeye Landing along the Oconee River in Laurens County, Lock and Dam Park on Lake Weiss in Floyd County, and George Bagby State Park in Clay County. The Go Fish Program is meant to attract boating and fishing tourism.

GA loses water battle in DC court

The state of has lost the latest round in the on-going battle over water. A U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington has declined Georgia's petition to reconsider a recent ruling that restricts the state's authority to take water Lake Lanier. Earlier this year, a three-judge panel threw out a 2003 agreement Georgia reached with the Army Corps of Engineers. The agreement - the key to Georgia's long-term water plans - would give the state about a quarter of Lake Lanier's capacity over the coming decades. However, the court sided with Alabama and Florida. Those states argued that using more of Lake Lanier for drinking water would quote constitute a major operational change that requires congressional approval.

Ft. Gordon to get upgrades

Officials at Fort Gordon in Augusta say they are working to repair problems with leaky plumbing and mold at the barracks there. Four thousand trainees live at the 40-year old facility. A spokesperson for Fort Gordon say the problems are similar to those at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Complaints at Fort Bragg prompted the Army to reshuffle $250 million toward emergency repairs at eight posts. Fort Gordon will receive $49 million. Six point two million has also been slated for heating and air conditioning upgrades at Fort Stewart.

Ft. Benning soldier back in court

Coming up next week, Georgia's state Supreme Court will hear several high profile cases, including that of a Fort Benning soldier, charged with killing one of his army buddies. The court will hear the case of Alberto Martinez, charged with killing Richard Davis in 2003. He's one of two sentenced to life in prison for Davis' murder. The two soldiers were among a group from Fort Benning, enjoying a night out, after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. Sometime during the evening, things went wrong and Davis' friends began beating him. The group moved to a wooded area where the fighting continued. And, that's where witnesses say Alberto Martinez stabbed Davis thirty-three times. Now, Martinez wants the state supreme court to consider that his court appointed lawyers failed to include psychological evidence of post traumatic stress disorder. Attorneys for the state argue that Martinez's lawyers chose to accuse someone else of the murder rather than call their own expert. Georgia law however, does not yet allow expert testimony to establish a defense of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Columbus: GOP convention gets underway

The nomination, credentials and resolution committees met as the session opened at 2 p.m.

Counties across the state elected 1945 delegates and 1,200 alternates to the event, held at the city's Civic Center arena.


Senator Saxby Chambliss addressing the delegates at the afternoon session. (Dave Bender).

The delegates will elect 30 delegates and alternates to the national party convention in September in Minnesota. They will also choose the party committee man and committee woman for the Republican National Committee.

Muscogee County representative Richard Smith:

“Our purpose is to get together as a party, and do whatever's necessary to elect quality Republican candidates, who believe in the principles that Republicans believe in: smaller government, less spending – all the things that make a Republican a Republican.”

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle is the keynote speaker at the afternoon session.

Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Michael Steele will give the keynote address at a festive dinner Friday evening.

On Saturday, Governor Sonny Perdue, House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer will head the lineup of speakers.

The convention concludes Saturday night.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the presidential race.

U.S Army Corps sites in GA: 'no guns here'

The U.S Army Corps of Engineers clarified the state's new gun law to remind Georgians that concealed weapons are not allowed in the sites the Corps oversees. A brief statement issued Thursday clarifies that only law enforcement officers can carry loaded guns into the more than 100 campgrounds and recreation areas operated by the Corps in Georgia. Those parks include Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Marietta, some parks along the Chattahoochee River,and the parks and boat ramps owned by the Corps around some north Georgia lakes, including Lanier.

This week Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law the measure that allows those with concealed weapons permits to carry firearms into state parks, some restaurants and on public transportation. The law becomes effective July 1st.

Georgia sports for Friday, May 16th

Atlanta Braves--

The Braves wrapped their road trip with a loss in Philidelphia last night, 5-0 to the Phillies. The Braves dropped 2-of-3 to the Phillies, and posted only a 2-5 road trip. The longest homestand of the season opens tonight for the Braves--an 11-game stretch against Oakland, the NY Mets, and Arizona. This evening, the opener against the A's at Turner Field.

AT-and-T Classic-Duluth--

Kenny Perry and 4 other golfers were tied atop the leaderboard in Duluth after a rain-soaked opening round of the AT-and-T Classic in Duluth, Georgia.

NCAA Golf/State college teams--

Action continues today for Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State in the NCAA Golf regional championships.

Storm damage tally rises about 100-mill

Monetary estimates of damage in the state from last weekend's storms have been revised. State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine has pushed the number of insured losses to now 125-million dollars. Oxendine Thursday took a helicopter tour of damage in Bibb, Clayton, and Douglas counties. He called the damage the worst he's seen in his 14 years on the job. 15 tornadoes touched-down in areas of central and northern Georgia on Mother's Day, with another few in the southern portion of the state. Two people died from the storms. There are 13 affected state disaster areas.

Death penalty appeal denied

A federal appeals court rejected a Georgia inmate’s bid to overturn his death sentence in the 1986 murder on St. Simon’s Island.

Robert L. Newland was convicted of attempting to rape, and then murdering neighbor Carol Sanders Beatty.

Newland claimed his legal council was ineffective, that it failed to appeal what he says was a forced confession. He also says more should have been done to show the jury his past as they determined his punishment.